SBIR-STTR Award

Beginning medical students are taught the early steps in cardiac morphogenesis as a foundation for understanding cardiac development, congenital cardiac pathologies, and the organization of the adult thorax and its viscera. The early morphogenetic events in cardiac development are dependent upon intricate changes in the topology of concentric tissue layers within the early embryo. Classical teaching techniques attempt to convey these topological changes through the use of 2-dimensional representations are inadequate and are a source of frustration and confusion to a majority of beginning medical students because few individuals are naturally skilled converting 2-dimensional images in 3- dimensional images within the "minds eye." Anatomix proposes to first create 3-dimensional images of developing hearts from a primary data set derived from authentic histological sections of embryonic material; and second to use this primary data set to create artistic animated images that can be used interactively by students to develop their own working minds eye images. For this PHASE I study, a consortium between Anatomix and Chanime will ensure high product quality in all scientific, pedagogical, artistic and commercial aspects. If successful, the novel approach proposed here can be applied to a variety of commercial instructional applications.

Thesaurus Terms:
angiogenesis, cardiovascular visualization, computer assisted instruction, computer simulation, computer system design /evaluation, heart anatomy, computer human interaction, education evaluation /planning, interactive multimedia, medical education, model design /development, sectioning, structural model, training aid clinical research, histology, human data, human subjectNational Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

In Phase I of this study, Anatomix developed an interactive 3-dimensional computer graphic model of embryonic chick development that illustrated the early phases of the developing head-fold, intraembryonic coelom and heart tube fusion. This model, which is the first of its kind to show the temporal aspects of development in 3-dimensions, was tested via presentation to first year medical students. In Phase II of this study, we propose to use the techniques pioneered during Phase I, along with student feedback on the chick embryo models, to develop similar, yet more sophisticated models that show the full range of human cardiac development. Human models will be more directly relevant to medical education and the necessary histological material is available. Incre ased sophistication will be achieved through (l) the use of high end computer graphic hardware and software (2) use of a professional science writer to develop textual materials and (3) a scientific advisory board including teachers, clinicians and textbook authors. The materials developed in phase II will constitute a core of anatomically and temporally accurate models of embryonic heart development that will be used to produce instructional materials targeted to a wide variety of teaching levels. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS: The core graphics technology produced by this research will be used to produce 3D embryology references for basic science research, interactive multimedia learning tools for students, and virtual embryos for clinicians to study the pathogenesis of cardiac malformations. The products of this research will he delivered to the educational markets as CD-ROM titles and VHS or DVD video.

Thesaurus Terms:
angiogenesis, cardiovascular visualization, computer assisted instruction, computer simulation, computer system design /evaluation, interactive multimedia, mammalian embryology anatomy, computer human interaction, education evaluation /planning, heart, medical education, model design /development, training aid bioimaging /biomedical imaging, clinical research, histology, human data, human subjectNATIONAL HEART, LUNG, AND BLOOD INSTITUTE